About private water supplies
Having a private water supply means you get water for your home or business from a source that is not the public water supply, known as the mains water network.
Sources for private water supplies include:
- lochs
- boreholes
- streams
Costs and responsibilities
Installing and maintaining a private water supply can be expensive and take a long time.
Your responsibilities as a private water supply owner can include:
- registering the supply
- maintaining the equipment
- treating your water so it's safe to use
- reporting problems with your supply
If you rely on a private supply, you need to plan how you’ll get water in an emergency like a drought or storm.
Get advice before setting up a private water supply
Due to the cost and responsibilities involved with a private water supply, you should consider connecting to the mains water network instead.
This will mean:
- Scottish Water will have responsibility for your supply
- your supply will be good quality and more reliable
View Scottish Water's information on connecting to the mains network.
If you still want a private supply, get advice from your local council first. They can tell you about registering, risk assessing and testing the supply.
You may be able to get a grant of up to £800 to help with the costs of improving a private supply.
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